Lets Build a Pool shall we ...
Day 01 _ It was a chilly Thursday morning ...
We finally singed on the dotted line today. It only took us 6 months or so but I can finally see the light at the end of the pool! It took us a while to land on the perfect design and then of course find the right person to build it for us! One very valuable piece of advice - be thorough and check all your documentation. If your not happy with the contract or are unclear about its content, you don't have to sign it. Always safer to go with an industry standard contract as opposed to a customised document. Remember that the relevant authorities have put a lot of work into putting together a comprehensive document that aims to protect both the builder and the client - so why wouldn't you use it?
TIP 01. There probably is such a thing as a stupid question BUT, ask it anyway!
TIP 02. Check on the QBCC website for your contractor's licence validity and history
Day 02 _ It was an even chillier Monday morning ...
The diggers started at 6.30am and finished at 8.30pm but we have a great big hole in the ground at the end of our fist day of construction! We had to deal with restricted access and a tricky corner for the digger to balance on, but amazingly they got it done. These guys have got skills!
TIP 03. Don't bother cleaning your house this week!!!!
Day 03_ Rio day. The art of reinforcing a structure never ceases to amaze me. It starts off as a spaghetti bowl of bars in every imaginable direction, but, it slowly but surely transformed into a thing of beauty.
Day 04_ Concrete today! The builders should try and tarp around the pool area but its still gonna be messy. I myself am a bit of a clean freak so this process has been extremely confronting and a challenging experience. Living on a construction site is never fun! Just breathe and let it go ...
TIP 04. Once the concreting is done, try and clean up the surrounding area as soon as you can. The concrete will kill your grass if not removed straight away.
The week to follow is all about trying to stop the kids from falling in and letting the concrete cure.
TIP 05. Make sure the builders have a sign at the front of your house to warn people that a pool is being built. Also make sure it stays up till certification is complete. They should also always have safety fencing around the construction area for safety reasons and also for their insurance purposes and yours.
Day 05_ Nothing happened ... curing the concrete takes 28 days so very little should happen for the next little while. In our case however, we still had work that needed doing. Our pool design was very specific. Just letting you know it was the more costly option to be only partially in-groud as opposed to fully in-ground pool.
Day 07 onwards_ The decking went in as was the plan, next was electrical wiring that needed to get roughed in. Make sure you have a clear idea of all the details you require for your design. Don't leave any room for changing your mind mid construction as that will cost you money and time.
Fencing Decisions:
Turns out there isn't much variety when it comes to selection of pool fencing.
Left: The standard Black Aluminium fece.
Right: Our customised fence with square vertical posts.
Other: Of course the more frequently used glass fencing ... with all that cleaning of the water spots!
Pool deck Decisions:
So what are your options you ask? Tile, tile and more tile. But don't be fooled - you can think outside the box! We decided to go with deck as it ties in better with our house.
Option 01: Timber decking that requires endless maintenance.
Option 02. Composite decking. More expensive but hassle free in the long run!
This is what we went with
Pool compliance:
This is NOT to be messed with, but, the trick is to get creative on your journey to the right design within all the restraints. The regulations seem to shift all the time so make sure you get the correct advice along the way.
If you are curious to see the end result of the pool build - stay tuned and follow our posts @bluegiraffebuildingdesign
